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One of the most successful periods for New York City liberalism was during the mayoralty of Robert F. Wagner (1954–1966). During these years, benefits for workers rapidly increased, public housing was built, and more blacks and Latinos gained government jobs. But at the height of liberalism, the city faced a great deal of racial turmoil. Galamison and the movement for school integration directly challenged the image of New York City as a shining example of urban liberalism. Civil rights activists consistently argued that racial discrimination was not limited to the South; the largest school...

One of the most successful periods for New York City liberalism was during the mayoralty of Robert F. Wagner (1954–1966). During these years, benefits for workers rapidly increased, public housing was built, and more blacks and Latinos gained government jobs. But at the height of liberalism, the city faced a great deal of racial turmoil. Galamison and the movement for school integration directly challenged the image of New York City as a shining example of urban liberalism. Civil rights activists consistently argued that racial discrimination was not limited to the South; the largest school system in the country was also plagued by the problem of racial segregation. New York City's Board of Education did not come up with a plan to integrate the school system because of widespread opposition to school integration. Some have argued that the failure of school integration was a result of the overly aggressive demands of black militants.